285: Talent is the most precious resource!

Watching the Wonderful Brush Scholar carefully observe the Red Official's techniques for repairing the Formation patterns and the underlying Formation principles, Lu Ming began to calculate in his heart.

"Perhaps... I could help this person achieve a Breakthrough to Golden Core? Once he achieves Golden Core, the Banner Spirit's essence will improve, and his Comprehension Ability might even advance further!"

With the vast energy currently accumulated within the human emperor banner, as long as he was willing, he could completely force the Wonderful Brush Scholar to the Golden Core level by sacrificing a portion of the low-level Banner Spirit.

The cost would be a reduction in the number of ghost soldiers within the banner and a temporary decrease in the overall Soul Power reserves.

However, this was an internal energy conversion, consistent with the law of conservation of energy, and would not lower the grade of the human emperor banner itself.

The key was whether it was worth it!

The Wonderful Brush Scholar is good at Comprehension Ability and deduction, not combat.

For Lu Ming, who currently favors direct combat power, using a large amount of "military force" to pile up the cultivation of a "civilian role" seemed somewhat uneconomical.

After all, although low-level Banner Spirit are very weak, they have strength in numbers!

"Forget it, let's see how much he can comprehend this time!"

Watching the Wonderful Brush Scholar, who was focused on his meditation, Lu Ming made a decision.

If he could glimpse some of the true meaning of a third-tier Formation while in the Foundation Establishment Realm, he would be a prodigy, and no matter how large the investment, it would be worth it.

By then, it would not be out of the question to even feed Ji Ruge to him.

After all, what is the hardest to find in the Cultivation World? Talent is the hardest to find!

An "external brain" that excels at learning and deduction might have a long-term value far exceeding a group of ghost soldiers who only know how to slaughter.

However, all of this would have to wait until the Teleportation Array was fully repaired and after a trip to the Luo Huang Immortal Sect to see the results.

...

On the other side, the Luo Huang Immortal Sect.

The Immortal Sect was situated among rolling mountains, with its main peak shaped like a soaring Fire Phoenix, constructed entirely of red crystal, shimmering in the sunlight.

The Spiritual Qi in the mountains condensed into mist, transforming into clusters of red clouds that swirled around.

Palaces and pavilions were built along the mountainside, with carved beams and painted rafters engraved with patterns of flames and phoenix birds.

From time to time, Disciples could be seen riding various lights, traversing through the clouds and mist, presenting a scene of a flourishing Immortal Sect.

Deep within the main hall, the "Qihuang Hall," Sect Master Chu Guhong was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, his aura heavy and condensed, with the faint Spiritual Pressure of a Mid-stage Golden Core circulating around him.

He looked to be about forty years old, with eyebrows slanting towards his temples, a high nose bridge, and a short beard on his chin, giving him a rather majestic appearance.

At this moment, he was attempting to comprehend a secret Fire-attribute Divine Ability of the Sect, hoping to advance further on his path in the Mid-stage Golden Core.

A moment later, Chu Guhong suddenly opened his eyes, a trace of undisguisable irritation rising between his brows.

"What is going on! Why am I suddenly feeling uneasy?"

At his Realm, even the slightest fluctuation in mood could indicate something.

Not to mention this sudden feeling of foreboding, which was certainly not groundless.

Confusion flashed in Chu Guhong's eyes, and he immediately used his Divine Sense to inspect himself, then carefully sensed the changes in his surroundings, but he could not find any abnormalities.

"Could it be because the Dao Child perished?"

Chu Guhong's thoughts turned, but he quickly shook his head.

Don't joke around; the fall of the Dao Child Qin Wangchuan was indeed a huge loss for the Sect.

But for him, Chu Guhong, this might not necessarily be a bad thing!

The Cultivation World has its social intricacies, and within the Immortal Sect, there are also factional struggles.

Qin Wangchuan and the two Vice Sect Masters behind him, Ling Canghai and Feng Qingyang, had always been at odds with his own Sect Master faction, engaging in open and secret struggles for many years.

That Dao Child Qin Wangchuan, with their support, had even been eyeing his Sect Master position greedily.

Now that this idiot had offended someone he shouldn't have outside and was slapped to death by someone.

When he heard the news at the time, he almost laughed out loud, but suppressed it due to his status as Sect Master.

However, on the issue of whether to take revenge, he and the two, Ling Canghai and Feng Qingyang, were deadlocked.

To put it plainly, he just didn't want to provoke a Golden Core True Person for a dead Dao Child who wasn't even from his own faction; not only would it increase the risk, but there was also no benefit whatsoever.

But Ling Canghai and Feng Qingyang didn't think so; they were determined to seek an explanation.

First, the Dao Child was someone they had cultivated with all their might; with his death, years of investment had all gone down the drain.

Second, it was also to show the factions attached to them; if they could sit idly by even after the Dao Child died, they feared it would chill the hearts of those below.

To prevent anyone from defecting to Chu Guhong, they had to intervene, at least to keep up appearances.

They had originally wanted to drag Chu Guhong along so he would also contribute.

But in the end, Chu Guhong stayed behind under the pretext of "needing to guard the Sect and prevent the rear from being empty," so the two had to go to Fengming Pavilion together.

"Could it be that these two have met with an accident?" Chu Guhong frowned, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the ancient book in his hand.

"That won't do!"

It didn't matter if the Dao Child died, but the two Early Golden Core Stage Vice Sect Masters absolutely could not be lost!

This was not about personal friendship, but about the Foundation of the Luo Huang Immortal Sect and his own Dao path.

The Profound Spirit Domain had always been fiercely competitive, believing in the law of the jungle.

If the news spread that the Sect had suddenly lost two Golden Core cultivators and its strength was greatly damaged, it would be no different than showing weakness before a pack of hungry wolves.

Those covetous neighboring forces, and even some second-tier Sect Alliance that longed to "ascend," would likely pounce without hesitation, devouring the Luo Huang Immortal Sect, using its resources as a stepping stone for their own promotion to strike at the level of the "Thirty-Six Blessed Lands."

Therefore, the two Vice Sect Masters absolutely must not have any accidents!

Once something happens, the Immortal Sect will be in danger!

However, he quickly shook his head again, then chuckled, feeling that he was being too overly anxious.

What a joke; that was two Golden Core cultivators joining forces. Even if they encountered a Mid-stage Golden Core, even if they couldn't defeat them, they should at least be safe, so what kind of accident could happen?

"It must be that I encountered a Bottleneck while Cultivating this 'Red Phoenix Heaven Burning Art' recently, causing my inner fire to become restless and disturbing my mind."

However, before the smile on his lips had completely faded, a hurried and chaotic sound of footsteps approached from afar.

A Disciple guarding the Soul Tablet Hall stumbled into the main hall, his face deathly pale, stuttering in terror: "Re... Report Sect Master! The two Vice Sect Masters' Soul Tablet... Soul Tablet..."